Villager captures vanishing landscape in painting

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SNOWMASS VILLAGE - Snowmass Village resident Lyn Hemley started painting because of the vanishing landscape. When you see her work, you can see her passion for landscape. The titles of her pieces share that sentiment: "Autumn Glow," "Quiet Season," "Send to Edgehill Parkway," "Once in Awhile," "Mail's In."

So let's learn about her art and the pieces she has on display at the Villas Welcome Center, across the street from the Snowmass Club. Like many of plein air artists, Hemley likes to paint in our beautiful valley. One of her special places to create is the Seven Castles area up the Fryingpan River. As for many other artists, the changing light brings Hemley the greatest challenge in painting.

Hemley began painting about 25 years ago when she was looking at the Deadhorse Mill in Crystal City, just past Marble. Like many of the artists represented in the Villas show, she has taken numerous classes at Colorado Mountain College. Her inspiration comes from past artists Robert Henri, Frank Weston Benson, Emile Gruppe and Edgar Payne. Current artists Albert Handell, Richard McKinley and Skip Whitcomb also give her inspiration. Her formal training includes a bachelor's in English from University of Wisconsin.

Hemley also serves on the Red Brick Center for the Arts gallery committee and has assisted with their installations. Her works have appeared in many juried exhibitions in Denver, Fort Collins, Longmont, Pueblo, Loveland, Greeley and Morro Bay, Calif., as well as additional exhibits throughout the valley.

"I put a directional swipe of paint on a canvas so it's no longer white," says Hemley when asked about her thinking process in creating a piece. From there, the piece unfolds. Hemley paints in pastels, oils and watercolors.

The En Plein Air show and sale is on display at the Welcome Center of the Villas at Snowmass Club until April 15. These pieces are a great way to take something home from the valley. Other artists represented are Sue Tatem, Mike Otte, Anne Byard, David Notor, Michael Kinsley and curator Georgeann Waggaman. The Welcome Center is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For additional information, call 970-923-0391 or 970-925-2126.